More than a hundred people gathered in Tifton, GA to discuss how management alternatives can make production systems more efficient and more resilient to climate variability and change. In an evaluation of the event, one of the attendees commented:

“It is very common to listen to scientists talking about climate change adaptation. However, it was not clear for me exactly how to achieve this. And I am very pleased to say now I have a clear idea of specific strategies to adopt and to be prepared for climate variations. Some ideas are expensive and adequate for big and well established producers. Other ideas are good and adaptable for smaller producers. Finally I’d like to say I loved the dynamics of this event because you accomplished an integration and not a boring interaction among producers and scientists.”

Producers and Extension from the Southeast U.S., including Wendy-Lin Bartels of Southeast Climate Extension, traveled to the Santa Rita Experimental Range, near Tucson, to exchange experiences with Arizona ranchers, researchers and extension professionals, who are interested in developing a climate working group for ranchers in the Southwest. Bartels’ experience with beginning and maintaining the Row Crop Climate Learning Network here in the Southeast is becoming a model for other regions to engage producers and Extension in discussions of how to reduce climate-related risks in agriculture.

Southeast Climate Extension team members, Carrie Furman and Fred Royce, participated in the annual Small Farmers’ meeting of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. The meeting was held February 15-16 in Albany, Georgia. Furman and Royce provided a Southeast Climate Extension information table, which included information on aquaculture and pond-based irrigation. Their exchanges with visitors at the meeting have helped this project define questions relevant to the feasibility of these two technologies for the FSC/LAF constituents.